Diversionary, repressive acts

of ironies. Teachers experienced harassment and intimidation We condemn in the strongest terms such repressive and restrictive

(We yield this space to the statement of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers due to its timeliness. – Ed.) from state forces in this very time when we are supposed to be moves by the state forces against our teachers for what they deem honored. as “anti-government” expressions and activities. Our objective is to After the Armed Forces of the Philippines implicated 18 universities highlight the mentors’ underpaid and overworked plight and express to the purported Red October destabilization plot, no less than our demands for decent salaries and humane working conditions Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde threatened mentors which is the very essence of the World Teachers’ Day. Only a regime with possible charges of contempt for espousing “rebellious ideas” that has no intention of uplifting the status of teachers would look at a day before the World Teachers’ Day (WTD, Oct. 5). These tirades our legitimate calls and actions as “anti-government.” Only a paranoid directed at teachers are immediately felt on the ground and tyrannical regime would dare use repressive measures against

The Department of Education threatened teachers on our special day. Bacolod City teachers with administrative cases We implore the Duterte administration, if they go on to stage a mass leave in protest of enough with these diversionary and repressive their dismal status. acts and face the real issues of teachers! Fulfill

Banners conveying teachers’ call for salary the two-year overdue promise of salary increase increase were removed by police forces the night which becomes more urgent today as inflation before the division celebration of WTD at Rizal rate spiked to 6.7 percent. Reverse the looming Memorial Stadium in Manila. The police reportedly said such was education budget cuts in education for next year and increase the the order in the light of intelligence reports that activists were set to allocation for the sector to address the shortages in the education disrupt the day’s celebration. They also attempted to prohibit members system. Release teachers from overwork due to oppressive policies. of the Manila Public School Teachers Association from distributing President Duterte’s failure to concretely address the plight of leaflets and posters to their colleagues in the activity. our mentors on World Teachers’ Day would reveal that he only used

After staging “Almusalang Guro” in front of the Department of teachers’ causes to forward selfish political agenda. Such will surely Education central office on Oct. 1, ACT Pasig members were sought by heighten teachers’ protests. No amount of intimidation can cause us police in their schools in the afternoon. Five policemen were reportedly to cower — it will, instead, further strengthen our resolve to stand A asking around about the activities of teachers. and fight for our rights.